


The Mechanic

by FourFaces



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-17 18:52:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13665153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FourFaces/pseuds/FourFaces
Summary: A human runs into Bismuth, damaging his car. Perhaps this is what they both need at this moment.





	The Mechanic

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CompletelyDifferent](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CompletelyDifferent/gifts).



Adjusting to Earth again was difficult, but Bismuth managed. She had told the Gems and Steven, after having been released from her bubble and having a serious conversation with the Gems, that she needed some time to figure things out again.

She had spent her time getting to know the humans in Beach City (the Pizza family having become favorites of hers) and started to finally ease into things. She wondered if she might be ready to return to the Crystal Gems now.

Then the car struck her.

She was alright, having instinctively shielded herself, but she looked at the smoke billowing out of the yellow car, realizing that whoever this belonged to would not be happy.

Sure enough, a male human charged out of the car, growling words that she had learned were definitely not friendly terms. He surveyed the damage and then turned to her.

“Look what you did! My parents are going to be so pissed! I can’t get another one of these! This was one of a kind!” he yelled, arms waving frantically.

Bismuth stammered, unsure of how to react to this human. She had mostly just had positive interactions with the humans of the small town, so this was a first. She watched as he began to weep over his car.

“Wait!” she started. “Please don’t cry! I can help!”

“I’m not crying!” the human snapped. “I …”

“Look, it’s ok! I can figure out a way to fix this! I just …” an idea popped into her head. She knew what could be done, but she wasn’t sure if she could return there just yet.

Looking at the human, she knew she had to.

“I have a forge,” she started.

“... What?”

“I have a forge. A workshop. I can fix your transport.” She continued, hoisting up the remains of the car. “Come on, I’ll take you!” she continued, shrugging the car over one shoulder and grabbing the human with her free arm.

“Wait! Put me down! Let go of me!” He exclaimed, struggling in Bismuth’s grasp as she carried him towards the Temple.

She hadn’t planned on returning so soon, but this was an emergency. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that no one was home and looked down at the human in her arms.

“Alright, we’re going to be using a warp pad. Have you ever used one before?”

“A what?!”

“Alright, well, I’ll just keep holding onto you then,” she laughed. “That way you don’t accidentally leave the warp stream.”

She walked into the Beach House with some difficulty (making a note to herself to repair the doorway when she was done with the human’s car) and stepped onto the warp pad.

Before the human in her arms could complain, she briefly set him and the car down before preparing to warp them to her forge. In an instant, the human was back in her arms, the car over her shoulder as a bright light enveloped the pair.

“Alright, once we get into the forge, you may want to take off the warmer clothing. The forge is pretty hot. Steven called it an oven -”

“Wait … Steven? You mean you know that little twerp?”

“Of course I know Steven! He’s ... “ Bismuth’s face fell. “He could have left me in that forge forever but ... “

For a brief moment, the human seemed to regret bringing up that kid that helped form the coolest teen in town. It seemed to be a sore subject for the woman who was now in charge of whether or not he survived this impromptu adventure.

“Sorry,” he said, unsure of why he felt so bad about mentioning the kid.

“It’s alright,” Bismuth sighed. “I … There are still some complicated feelings that I’m working through.”

They traveled the rest of the way in silence. When the light faded away, the human looked out to see a barren canyon.

“Uh …”

“It’s just over this way,” Bismuth smiled, walking towards the hidden entrance to her forge. “Again, it will get pretty toasty in here.”

The human braced himself as the hidden door opened. He looked around to see that the room was dark. Almost unused.

Then Bismuth set him down and pulled a chain.

Lava flowed into the room, instantly heating it. The human took off his coat and chuckled.

“Wow. You weren’t kidding.”

Bismuth chuckled.

“Nope. I mean, it doesn’t bother me, but my form is just light. This will only take a moment,” she smiled, tossing the car onto the anvil.

The human watched as Bismuth worked on his car, her back to him. He wanted to get a better look, but every time he would crane his head around, she seemed to block his view. He instead turned his attention to the collection of weapons that surrounded the room.

“I forgot just how nice it is to work here,” she started. “I missed this.”

Silence stretched between them once again. The human shifted to a more comfortable position.

“I’m Kevin, by the way,” he started. “I live in the suburbs.”

“Hmm.”

“So you’re a gem and you know Steven … I guess that explains some things.”

Bismuth paused.

“He and this one girl somehow combine to form like, the coolest teen in Beach City. I guess gem stuff explains it. I dunno, I never paid attention in history class.”

Bismuth turned around.

“History class?”

“Yeah. In high school they teach all about the Gem war and early history, but it just seemed … I dunno. Boring. Like, it’s all dry and stuff which you wouldn’t expect when you’re learning about wars. But … whatever …”

“It wasn’t that dry,” Bismuth chuckled bitterly. “But … I suppose it’s good that humans make sure to teach about it … What do they say?”

“I dunno. Stuff about how there was a war over Earth’s resources between an alien race and a small rebellion from within. How that war is theorized to be the cause of the monsters that tend to roam the uninhabited areas … and Beach City.”

“Monsters?” Bismuth asked.

“Yeah. Like, really weird creatures. I saw one once in person. It was taken out by this trio of women who …”

Kevin trailed off.

“Those were more people like you, huh?”

“Yeah …” Bismuth smiled sadly.

“So … How do you know Steven?”

“His mom and I … we fought together in the war and there was a disagreement … I … I still don’t think there is a better way to solve the underlying causes of the war but Steven …”

Bismuth stood still for a moment. She looked down at the car. It looked better than it had when she had started, that was for sure. She toyed with the idea of adding to it, making some modifications that would improve it. Make it more powerful.

Make it a weapon.

She sighed.

“Your car’s done,” she began. “I thought about adding some stuff to it but … you humans probably just prefer to use your cars as transport and nothing more.”

Kevin laughed.

“Yeah. I mean, I do race it sometimes but … Not much anymore …”

Bismuth smiled.

“Well, I’ll carry it to the warp and take you both back to Beach City. The forge is a long way off and I don’t think you want to drive it the whole way back.”

“Probably not.”

The pair left the forge and warped back to Beach City. As they arrived in the Beach House, Bismuth felt lucky, seeing that it was still unoccupied.

She still wasn’t ready.

She watched as Kevin drove away on the sand, a twinge of pride and a twinge of sadness both striking her heart.

She turned back to the Beach House.

There was work to do.

~

It had been three months, and Kevin knew he had to get Stevonnie to try to show up for his birthday party. He was turning eighteen and this was the only way to prove that he was still the second coolest teen in Delmarva.

As he approached the boardwalk, he looked out at the beach and brought his car to a screeching halt.

On the beach sat Bismuth and the two kids he was looking for.

He watched, smiled, and then drove away.

Maybe next time.


End file.
